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<td valign="top" width="478" height="205"><font color="#666666" size="1"><img height="28" src="http://www.bic.searca.org/e-news/images/inthenews.jpg" width="139"></font> <br><a class="date"><em><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#666666" size="2">Posted 15 November 2009</font></em></a><br>
<br><a class="country"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#336600" size="2"><strong>PHILIPPINES</strong></font></a><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"> <br>1-15 PILOT AREAS IN EASTERN VISAYAS SOON TO HARVEST FLOOD-RESISTANT RICE<br>
2-UPLB CHANCELLOR BATS FOR BIOTECH CROPS IN MARGINAL LANDS<br>3-BIOTECH, NON-GM CROPS’ COEXISTENCE FOCUS OF MEET<br>4-P3.5-MILLION TISSUE-CULTURE LAB TO REVITALIZE ABACA INDUSTRY IN ARMM<br><br></font><a class="country"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#336600" size="2"><strong>MALAYSIA</strong></font></a><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"> <br>
5-MPOB AND ORION COMPLETE SEQUENCING OF THREE OIL PALM GENOMES<br><br></font><a class="country"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#336600" size="2"><strong>AFRICA</strong></font></a><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"> <br>
6-UGANDA: U.S.$21 MILLION SWEET POTATO PROJECT TO AID FOOD SECURITY, NUTRITION <br><br></font><a class="country"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#336600" size="2"><strong>GLOBAL</strong></font></a><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"> <br>
7-TECHNOLOGY HOLDS ANSWER FOR ASIA'S FUTURE CHALLENGE<br>8-GROUND-BREAKING MOMENTS IN GLOBAL AGRICULTURE<br></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr>
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<div align="left"><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>1-15 PILOT AREAS IN EASTERN VISAYAS SOON TO HARVEST FLOOD-RESISTANT RICE</strong><br>11-November-2009 </font></font><a href="http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p091109.htm&no=99" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Philippine Information Agency</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">Tacloban City (November 9) -- Farmers in the 15 flood prone pilot areas in Eastern Visayas will soon reap the first harvest in their first attempt to plant submergence tolerant rice genotypes, Department of Agriculture Region 8 Executive Director Leo Caneda informed. <br>
<br>Director Caneda said that the Department of Agriculture has chosen 15 flood-prone rice farms in Region 8 for propagation and cultivation of 16 submergence tolerant rice genotypes. <br><br>The 16 submergence tolerant rice genotypes can withstand a two-week flood unlike the usual varieties that are damaged after only three days of being submerged in floodwaters, RED Caneda disclosed. <br>
<br>Of the 15 pilot areas, about 12 are farmer-managed. These include 6 farm-lands in Palo; 3 in Sta. Fe, 1 in Pastrana; 1 in Tacloban City; and 1 in Babatngon, all in the province of Leyte. <br><br>Three pilot areas are researcher-managed, RED Caneda added. These are in Sacme, Tanauan, Leyte; 1 in Dolores, Eastern Samar and 1 in Northern Samar. <br>
<br>Last week, a Field Day was conducted at Barangay Sacme, Tanauan, Leyte which was attended by representative from DA Region 8. The highlight of the Field Day is the report of the farmer that stated which of the varieties well thriving so far and what methods he used in propagating the varieties. <br>
<br>God-willing, the farmers in the pilot areas will have their first harvest of submergence tolerant rice before the end of November or early December. <br><br>Based on the experiences of the pilot areas, the Department of Agriculture will be able to determine which of the 16 genotypes is best for the Eastern Visayas Region, Director Caneda said. <br>
<br>RED Caneda disclosed that 11 % of the Regions total farm lands or about 16,720 hectares of rice land in Eastern Visayas are vulnerable to flooding. <br><br>These vulnerable rice lands in the Region are being targeted for cultivation of 16 submergence tolerant rice genotypes, the good Director added. <br>
<br>"Most of the farmers in these areas depend on rice farming for their livelihood and majority of them do not have access to up-to-date information,' he said. <br><br>Director Caneda stressed that by planting the new genotypes of rice will reduce production cost and income losses of farmers due to frequent to frequent devastating typhoons and flooding. <br>
<br>Director Cañeda disclosed that in June to November 2008, a study was conducted by DA at Brgy. Cangumbang, Palo, Leyte and Brgy. Buntay, Oras, Eastern Samar to find out which among of the 16 varieties are tallest, matures early and highest yield. <br>
<br>Participatory varietal selection-researcher managed was conducted in farmer's fields. Called as "mother trial,' the activity evaluates in detail the adaptability of the different rice genotypes. <br><br>Three to four genotypes were found to be promising in the region are now being tested by the farmer themselves in their respective fields, Director Caneda said. <br>
<br>Eastern Visayas, along with Bicol and Caraga regions, has been identified by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as area most prone to flashfloods. <br><br>The first submergence-tolerant rice variety in the Philippines was released during the 27th Council Secretariat Meeting on July 7 this year. <br>
<br>The "Submarino 1' variety is a non-genetically engineered rice plant that can survive, grow and develop even after 10 days under water, The variety was infused with submergence tolerance gene (Sub1), which was discovered by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the University of California-Davis from an Indian rice variety FR13A. <br>
<br>"We are talking here of a potential near zero harvest to a harvest of three to four tons per hectare when farmers use this variety. This is a big bonanza for farmers and for additional rice supply in the market," RED Caneda said. <br>
<br>Farmers using this variety would spend less for fertilizer because farmlands would have more nutrients because of the "banlik (silt)' brought by floods, he said. (PIA 8)<br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br>
<strong>2-UPLB CHANCELLOR BATS FOR BIOTECH CROPS IN MARGINAL LANDS</strong><br>by Marvyn N. Benaning<br>09-November-2009 </font><a href="http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/228784/uplb-chancellor-bats-biotech-crops-marginal-lands" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Manila Bulletin</font></a><br>
<br><br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco says the country must use biotechnology to develop crops ready to confront climate change as well as make marginal productive.<br>
<br>Velasco added that biotechnology is a boon to an agricultural country like the Philippines and it must utilize its processes to guarantee food security in the long run, reduce dependence on imported inputs and even develop a fungus discovered by agricultural scientists that feeds on plastics.<br>
<br>"It has only been recently that the world has been faced with the realization that plastics can become a real ecological hazard. With their long half-life, waste plastics begin to be a problem. They clog up our drainage systems. They pollute our environment with products almost impervious to nature’s normal courses. They have become a bane to us," he says.<br>
<br>He noted that Filipino scientists have been able to identify a fungus that can degrade plastic back into its natural elements in far less time than we all thought possible.<br><br>"Though far from fully developed, the idea is undergoing study – how to propagate the fungus to be economically viable, how to find out what hazards it may, in turn, produce, how to make it acceptable to the public, and eventually how to make the fungus available to the public for use. In short, we now turn to the process of commercialization," he said.<br>
<br>"Biotechnology can assure us of a certain control in quality and costs among natural, living things. This is what biotechnology is really about. It is the new economic revolution at its birth. Born in nature’s hands, but helped by man and his science," he stressed.<br>
<br>For the moment, Velasco declared that the country should concentrate on three areas in biotechnology.<br><br>First, it should develop microbial fertilizers. "With petrol-based fertilizers on their way out, both in availability and costs, BioN and MicroVAM should be further developed for widespread farm use to replace expensive, and usually imported, fertilizers. These technologies are already available. But we have to support them with a focus and a commitment," he added.<br>
<br>Second, it should start breeding crops in response to global climate change. "The fact of unpredictable environments is upon us. Some we brought about, some purely natural and irrevocable. There are new plant diseases these changes will bring about, there will be leaching of products we have imposed on our environments. These are truths and these are facts. We have to be ready to contend and address them. The seeds have been discovered. What we need to do is propagate and disperse them. Drought-resistant breeds, saline-resistant breeds, flood-resistant strains, we have them all today. If we do not propagate their use, they will be wasted," he said.<br>
<br>Third and last, the country must breeding crops to make use of marginal lands. "Even without climate change, we have not learned to use our marginal lands. These are the lands that are not of the best quality, but can be made productive just the same. Our many years in research show us that there is a way to make them productive. We must find the crops that will make our farmers live and prosper. And we must find the way to make these crops available to our farmers in their most effective form," he noted.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>3-BIOTECH, NON-GM CROPS’ COEXISTENCE FOCUS OF MEET</strong><br>by Marvyn Benaning<br>08-November-2009 </font><a href="http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/228535/biotech-nongm-crops-coexistence-focus-meet" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Manila Bulletin</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">An international conference on the coexistence of genetically-and non-genetically modified crops will be held in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 10-12.<br><br>The Fourth International Conference on Coexistence between Genetically Modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre with public and private stakeholders from different parts of the world participating.<br>
<br>It is the only international forum that will focus on coexistence between GM and non-GM agricultural supply chains, says the Department of Agriculture - Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO).<br><br>DA-BPO director Alicia Ilaga said the conference will also dwell on the case of the Philippines, which approved the commercial propagation of Bacillus thuriegiensis (Bt) corn in 2005.<br>
<br>The Philippines stands to benefit from the valuable lessons that can be learned from the exchanges of valuable information and possibly technology transfer, to better apply GM technology in the Philippines.<br><br>Bt corn is primarily used for animal feed even as government regulators, as well as the seed's producer, Monsanto, claim it is safe for human consumption.<br>
<br>Prof. German Spangenberg, executive director of the Biosciences Research Division, Department of Primary Industries, said the conference will cover key issues on coexistence between GM and non-GM agricultural supply chains ranging from production level to the market place.<br>
<br>The topics include gene flow in agricultural systems, strategies for coexistence and organisational measures across the supply chain, socio-economics of coexistence and cost/benefit analysis of coexistence strategies, legal and policy issues of coexistence frameworks, and traceability and control of coexistence.<br>
<br>This is the first time that such a GMCC event will be held outside of Europe, Spangenberg, this year's GMCC'09 event chairman, said.<br><br>The conference will highlight the progress of the Australian approach to coexistence between GM/non-GM canola, and attempt to address the planning of coexistence measures in advance of other GM crop introductions.<br>
<br>The GMCC'09 conference will be highly relevant for industry, policy, agricultural biotechnology R&D and agribusiness communities, he said.<br><br>Coverage of the conference includes farming systems in the developing world, rather than focus on Europe and Americas.<br>
<br>Ilaga said the GMCC series is moving away from the primary attention on maize and oilseed rape that has characterized the first three meetings.<br><br>The conference is expected to come up with a paper dealing with the potential impact of GM technologies in the developing world with emphasis on Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, as well as the strategies that need to be in place to ensure that the benefits are captured by the local producers and industries and that the market access is protected and market returns preserved where local or international consumers discriminate between GM and non-GM produce.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>4-P3.5-MILLION TISSUE-CULTURE LAB TO REVITALIZE ABACA INDUSTRY IN ARMM</strong><br>08-November-2009 </font><a href="http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/5502-p35-million-tissue-culture-lab-to-revitalize-abaca-industry-in-armm" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Manila Times</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">The government is stepping up the revitalization of the abaca industry in Mindanao, with the establishment of a P3.5 million tissue culture laboratory in Marawi City. <br>
<br>The abaca tissue laboratory, which was inaugurated on October 15, is expected to boost the production of disease-free and uniform seedlings for the entire province of Lanao del Sur, said Director Alicia Ilaga, head of the DA Biotechnology Program Office (BPO).<br>
<br>A project of Kawiagan sa Ranao Livelihood Training Center (KRLTC), the tissue culture laboratory is the first to be put up in the entire Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). <br><br>This development, Ilaga said, is significant because the establishment of such facility in Marawi City, an Islamic City, more importantly opens the door of ARMM for biotechnology—as an effective fighting tool against hunger and poverty.<br>
<br>Classified as a middle level biotechnology, tissue culture has been proven to increase yield in banana, and sugar production particularly in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.<br>Tissue culture is also responsible for the development of the orchid industry in the Philippines.<br>
<br>Through tissue-culture, Ilaga said the government and its private-sector and nongovernment organization partners will enable the rapid mass propagation of “healthy” abaca planting materials, thus allowing farmers to expand areas planted to the fiber-rich plant.<br>
<br>“More farmers will benefit from the wonders of biotechnology because tissue culture will allow them to have more disease-free and uniform seedlings. This means they wouldn’t have to go through the hassles of buying planting materials that may or may not have the dreaded abaca diseases,” said.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>MALAYSIA<br>5-MPOB AND ORION COMPLETE SEQUENCING OF THREE OIL PALM GENOMES<br>
</strong>09-November-2009 </font></font><a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsbusiness.php?id=453779" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Malaysian National News Agency: Bernama.com</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Orion Genomics on Monday announced that a consortium co-led by the Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre has sequenced three oil palm genomes from two palm species, an important food and biofuel crop.<br>
<br>This genome sequencing effort provides a comprehensive genetic blueprint of E.oleifera and E.guineensis, including the pisifera and dura palms, they said.<br><br>MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Basri Wahid said knowledge of the genomic sequence of these oil palm varieties enabled researchers to understand genetic differences between trees for more resistant to disease than usual.<br>
<br>"Our goal in completing the oil palm genome sequence is to dramatically improve oil yields both for the production of food, feed and fuel," he said at the plenary session on "Sequencing the Oil Palm Genome: The Beginning" at the International Palm Oil Congress 2009 here.<br>
<br>Oil palm plantations on average produce 3.9 tonnes of oil per hectare per year, nearly 10 times more than other productive oil-bearing crops, Mohd Basri said.<br><br>Therefore, it has the potential to meet growing demand for food and renewable fuel, he said.<br>
<br>Used in cooking oil, margarine, baked goods and other foods, palm oil is the most consumed edible oil in the world.<br><br>It feeds more than three billion people in 150 countries worldwide and is also a common ingredient in soaps and cosmetics.<br>
<br>Last year, Malaysia produced 17.7 million tonnes of crude palm oil and exported RM65.2 billion (US$17.6 billion) worth of palm oil products.<br><br>New technologies are now enabling palm oil to be transformed into biodiesel, a promising renewable fuel.<br>
<br>MPOB and Orion Genomics, along with Mogene LC, also unveiled plans to study the epigenetic make-up of oil palm next year in an effort to improve yields.<br><br>Epigenetics is the study of the pattern of chemical groups that influence whether specific genes are turned on or off, said Orion Genomics' president and chief executive officer Nathan Lakey.<br>
<br>"We theorise that by studying oil palm epigenetics, we may be able to help to speed the development of varieties of oil palm that produce more oil, rapidly increasing the per acre efficiency of this crop, which already is the single largest producer of edible oils worldwide," he said.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>AFRICA<br>6-UGANDA: U.S.$21 MILLION SWEET POTATO PROJECT TO AID FOOD SECURITY, NUTRITION<br>
</strong>by Halima Abdallah<br>09-November-2009 </font></font><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200911090833.html" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">All Africa</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">Nairobi — The International Sweet Potato Centre has launched a $21.25 million research project in Uganda that will develop nutritionally enhanced sweet potatoes, in a project to reduce health problems related to vitamin A deficiency and improve food security in sub-Saharan Africa.<br>
<br>Vitamin A is necessary for good eyesight, healthy skin and for building the immune system.<br><br>The centre works in developing countries to help reduce poverty and increase food security through scientific research related to sweet potatoes and other root crops.<br>
<br>The five-year research project, named Sweet Potato Action for Security and Health in Africa is one of nine such projects benefiting from the $120 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation investment to support smallscale farmers in Africa and India.<br>
<br>This grant brings to $1.4 billion the amount of money the foundation has committed to agricultural efforts in the world to date.<br><br>In addition to nutritional enhancement, the research will employ both conventional methods and biotechnology to create at least 20 locally adapted sweet potatoes varieties resistance to drought, virus and diseases.<br>
<br>Biotechnology will be used to develop weevil resistant varieties.<br><br>An earlier study proved that the orange-fleshed sweet potato already in the market can drastically bring down impacts of vitamin A-deficiency that threaten an estimated 43 million children under the age of five in sub- Saharan Africa.<br>
<br>"We have already proven this in South Africa and in western Kenya but we want to see it in action and that is what this project is set out to do," said Dr Robert Mwanga, an expert on the crop.<br><br>Sweet potato is the third most important food crop in production in seven East and Central African countries, with Uganda leading at 2.5 million tonnes annual production.<br>
<br>It is an easy crop to grow as it requires less labour and can grow in marginal land and can withstand dry conditions.<br><br>Yet the potential of the crop has remained largely untapped.<br><br>The project is designed to improve food security and livelihoods of poor families by exploiting the untapped potential of the sweet potato, which includes its use in confectionery and animal feed.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>GLOBAL<br>7-TECHNOLOGY HOLDS ANSWER FOR ASIA'S FUTURE CHALLENGE<br>
</strong>by Reaz Ahmad<br>11-November-2009 </font></font><a href="http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=113568&sms_ss=email" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">The Daily Star</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">India importing rice for the first time in over two decades this year, Thailand and other rice producing and exporting countries in Asia are rethinking food security, as experts say further output growth has to come from technology rather than lands that have already become sparse. <br>
<br>Given the scenario where the world's third largest rice exporting country India has gone to the international market for importing the staple to offset an expected production shortfall owing to the driest monsoon in four decades, Thailand last month announced an ambitious 50 billion US dollars stimulus package 'Strong Thailand', setting aside almost a quarter of the amount for boosting its agriculture by 2012. <br>
<br>Top agriculture officials of Thailand, the world's number one rice exporting country, revealed the country's plan for securing food not only for the kingdom but also for other countries of the world, to a gathering of journalists from different countries of the Asia-Pacific region in Bangkok over the weekend. <br>
<br>The media workshop was organised by Syngenta, a multinational also a world leader in the business of crop protection. The event was also attended by agricultural experts, industry leaders, host country officials, and representatives from the Philippines based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).<br>
<br>Apichart Jongsakul, secretary general of the Office of Agricultural Economics under the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, told the workshop that his government will pump in a huge amount of money over the next three years through the 'Strong Thailand' stimulus package to turn the kingdom into the 'Kitchen of the World'.<br>
<br>Thailand has been the world's top rice exporting country since 1970 with its export volume hitting 10 million metric tons (MT) last year, accounting for over 33 percent of the year's total 29.6 million MT global rice trade.<br>
<br>Referring to the moratorium that Thailand had slapped on large scale field trials of genetically modified rice, Apichart said biotechnology holds the key to the future growth potentials for crops including rice, and his country is now allowing breeders to experiment on biotech-derived crops under controlled greenhouse environment.<br>
<br>Identifying diversion of crops for fuel production as one of the key factors behind food prices hitting all time high in 2008, Apichart informed the audience about the Thai government's policy of not expanding the acreage of cassava and sugarcane for fuel generation purposes, while increasing only the acreage of oil palm for it, using only otherwise fallow lands. <br>
<br>A presentation made by Thai Rice Department's Deputy Director General Chairit Damrongkiat showed, India was the third largest exporter of rice last year behind Thailand and Vietnam, and exported 11.2 percent of the rice traded globally. Of the total global rice output of 445.6 million MT in 2008, India produced 99.1 million MT, second only to China that produced 134.3 million MT. <br>
<br>But within a year, India is now depending on other rice growing Asian countries to offset its shortfall resulted from a delayed monsoon, a problem that Bangladesh also suffered this year. But thanks to the timely policy decision of providing farmers with free power to pump water to the aman fields, which saved Bangladesh from any substantial crop loss. <br>
<br>The workshop took note of the Bangladesh situation, as the country is well poised with over a million metric ton of rice in stock. But participants pointed out, with an increasing population and dwindling land resources, maintaining food security in Bangladesh as well as in other parts of Asia-Pacific is very crucial.<br>
<br>IRRI Media Relations Manager Sophie Clayton told the workshop, if rice producing countries want to keep pace with the rising number of rice consumers, the global rice output has to grow by 8 to 10 million MT per year. <br>
<br>Noting that the world population is increasing by an astounding rate of 2,20,000 a day, Martin Gibson, stewardship director of CropLife Asia, showed data elucidating how per capita share of arable land is shrinking. <br>
<br>Gibson said the world population was three billion in 1960 with each person having a share of 4.3 hectares of arable land, but as the population doubled by 2000 the per capita arable land share nosedived to 2.2 hectares, and by the most conservative projection it is likely to drop further to settle at only 1.8 hectares per person in 2020 when 7.5 billion people will inhabit the earth. CropLife Asia is the Asian chapter of CropLife International, the global federation of plant science industries operating in 90 countries. <br>
<br>Syngenta's head of seed business for the Asia-Pacific region, Peter Pickering, and its country chief in Thailand, Parveen Kathuria, joined Gibson in the argument that the next big leap in rice output has to come from technology rather than from land resources. They laid emphasis on safe applications of agricultural biotechnology to ensure food security for an ever increasing global population. <br>
<br>Andrew Guthrie, who looks after Syngenta's crop protection business in the Asia-Pacific region, talked to The Daily Star sharing some of his thoughts. Guthrie said the technology is available, but farmers' must be able to access it. He gave a recent example of how simple technologies help farmers enormously.<br>
<br>"In Bangladesh we supplied farmers with 'pani pipes', a plastic pipe with holes, that they tuck half into paddy fields. This eventually helps them understand water needs of the crop at various stages, for example: plantation, vegetation, and flowering, helping to cut irrigation cost," he said.<br>
<br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>------------------------------------------------------------<br>8-GROUND-BREAKING MOMENTS IN GLOBAL AGRICULTURE<br></strong>10-November-2009 </font></font><a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idINIndia-43838220091110" target="_blank"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Reuters India</font></a><br>
<br><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">CHICAGO (Reuters) - Organized cultivation of food crops like wheat and barley began about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, what is now the Middle East.<br>
<br>Great strides in agriculture have been made since through innovation, technology and genetics to help feed the world's growing population. Despite this, however, more than 1 billion people went hungry in 2009, 100 million more than last year.<br>
<br>The increase is not a result of poor harvests, but due to high food prices, particularly in development nations, and lower incomes and lost jobs due to the economic downturn.<br><br>Here are some landmark moments in world agriculture:<br>
<br>* 1701 - Briton Jethro Tull invented the seed drill, an improved plough that was drawn by a horse.<br><br>* 1798 - Thomas Malthus predicts impending famine as population growth outstrips food production.<br><br>* 1831 - American Cyrus McCormick introduced his mechanical reaper, which was mass produced by 1847 in a Chicago factory.<br>
<br>* 1863 - The U.S. Agriculture Department, which forecasts crop production for major countries across the globe, publishes its first monthly crop report.<br><br>* 1866 - Austrian Gregor Mendel laid the foundation of modern genetics by showing traits pass from parents to offspring.<br>
<br>* 1873 - American John Deere designed the first cast steel plough.<br><br>* 1881 - First generation of hybrid corn to increase production created.<br><br>* 1892 - First successful gasoline engine farm tractor built by American inventor John Froelich.<br>
<br>* 1923 - Commercial hybrid seed corn developed by Henry Wallace, who in 1926 founded the Hi-Bred Corn Co (now Pioneer Hi-Bred International).<br><br>* 1934 - Worst drought in U.S. history swept through the Great Plains and covered more than 75 percent of the country.<br>
<br>* 1944 - Normal Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution to increase food production, joins Rockefeller Foundation.<br><br>* 1945 - Beginning of the Green Revolution to increase food production through new cultivars, irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides and mechanization.<br>
<br>* 1956 - Mexico becomes self-sufficient in wheat as a result of the Green Revolution.<br><br>* 1960 - Philippines government, Ford and Rockefeller foundations establish the International Rice Research Institute in Manila.<br>
<br>* 1968 - William Gaud, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, coins the term Green Revolution. "These and other developments in the field of agriculture contain the makings of a new revolution. It is not a violent Red Revolution like that of the Soviets, nor is it a White Revolution like that of the Shah of Iran. I call it the Green Revolution."<br>
<br>* 1970 - Borlaug is awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply.<br>(Reporting by K.T. Arasu; Editing by Walter Bagley)<br></font><br><a class="footer"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" color="#666666" size="1">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
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